However, Ukyo was one of her, if not best, closest friends. They were like sisters with how close they were, and the two of them had enjoyed each other's company since they had met. All through cooking lessons, talks on boys, and shopping trips, their friendship had grown, and now she couldn't see how her father would be able to expect her to get romantic with the boy that her friend cared so much for.
But she could do something else about it, and as soon as she was able to sneak away, she nodded her excuses and slipped away to the phone to make a call.
Ukyo loved her restaurant, if for no other reasons than that it was now her home. She hadn't expected that to become the case, but once it became clear that she was going to stay in Nerima, she couldn't stop herself from being comfortable. With her friends around, a constant rush of customers, and the knowledge that she'd soon get reunited with a certain boy there, it was the perfect place for her.
And hearing the ring of the phone made her know that it was another sign that this was the perfect spot for her to be in. Lifting it up, she put the receiver up to her ear with a smile. "Hell, this is Ucchan's. Can I help you?"
*"Ukyo, it's me,"* replied the caller.
"Oh, hi Akane? Call to get something to eat, or just to talk?"
*"Neither, actually."*
"Something come up?"
*"Yeah. Dad just let us know that his old friend is coming to visit us with his son so that he can choose a wife from between us."*
The chef winced. "Sounds like that might not go well."
*"It's not going to go at all. Ukyo, the 'old friend' is Genma Saotome, and he's bringing Ranma here."*
Not even noticing that she'd stopped breathing, Ukyo swallowed hard. "Are you sure?"
*"He called him by name."*
"So that means...."
*"Ranma's coming back."*
"I...."
*"I thought that you'd like to know,"* Akane murmured over the phone.
"I do. Thank you. Thank you very much."
*"That's good to hear. Especially since he's probably going to be looking for the first chance to get back to you. He is my friend, and he does enjoying time with me and my sisters, but I do believe that he'll want to return to you as soon as possible."*
"Me too."
*"I'm glad. Though I'm kind of jealous. It's not like there are any guys that I could get to be with like you are with him."*
"Hey, there is that Kuno guy...."
*"Don't even joke about that. He's already bad enough, and I refuse to even consider an idea that... gruesome."*
"Hey, don't worry. He's not worth your time or heart. But I'm sure that you'll find someone."
*"Perhaps,"* her friend replied. *"In any case, you be ready for your reunion with Ranma."*
"Of course I will be. And Akane? Thanks."
*"It's no problem. You both are my friends, and this is the sort of thing that friends do for each other."*
"You trying to get a special okonomiyaki?"
*"No. But I'll welcome one if you want to make it for me."*
"I'll see what I can whip up. 'Bye, Akane."
*"'Bye."*
Hanging up the phone, Ukyo smiled giddily to herself as she considered this turn of her situation. Soon, the boy that she had loved ever since she was a little girl would be back in her arms. It'd been months since she'd been together with her husband, and she couldn't wait to reunite with him. At least it was a better wait though, as he had promised her that he would come back to her this time, instead of merely waving from the top of her family's cart as it sped away.
When she'd first met him after that incident, she'd been certain that she was going to have to thrash him for that abandoning of her. However, his clear cluelessness about her gender, and the promise that their father's had made had come out, and she discovered that rather than having dismissed her, he had always treasured their time together. That added on to how he'd considered her cute as soon as she'd corrected his assumption of what sex she was, had made her discover that he was more the boy that she'd thought he was originally, rather than a helper in his father's scheme. Things had progressed from there, and soon she started realizing that they were getting to be really close. He'd had been obvious about his desire to be with her, and they'd grown so close that he hadn't even questioned going with her when she'd found out about a dojo in Nerima that trained in a style similar to his.
And it finally became clear that all of his romantic desires were centered on her when he started to compliment her in blushing and stilted, though very earnest ways. The two of them had quietly found their own shy paths to where their love was leading them, but when they did, it had created a bond that was simply not going to go away. Plus, it had made her feel like the most beautiful and sexy young woman that she could ever hope to be, as he looked at her and considered her gorgeous.
She wasn't about to feel any kind emotions for her father-in-law, what with all that he had done, including taking Ranma away from her twice.
Yet, the time for bashing him was later, as her husband was returning to her, while:
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(Posted Mon, 20 Feb 2006 21:25)
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